Tropical Storm Bonnie - 2016
Tropical Storm Bonnie was a strong, pre-season tropical cyclone that formed during the active 2016 Atlantic hurricane season. Bonnie's formation in late May marked the first occurrence of two pre-season tropical cyclones since 2012, in addition to being the third only known occurrence since 1951. The first storm, Alex, had formed in January. Having formed from a non-tropical area of low-pressure, Bonnie became Tropical Depression Two on May 22, nearly two weeks before the official start of the season on June 1. As a tropical depression, Bonnie brought heavy rain throughout the Turks & Caicos and Bahamas, eventually intensifying to a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm reached peak intensity several hours later, with 50 mph winds and an unusually low pressure of 989 millibars. Somewhat strong steering currents turned Bonnie to the northeast, where it later made landfall in Cedar Key, Florida the following day at the aforesaid intensity. Even as a relatively small system, Bonnie brought torrential rainfall and tornadoes across a widespread area, causing extensive damage. Due to land interaction, Bonnie became extratropical on May 26 as it curved to the north, traveling along the eastern United States as a powerful storm that brought heavy rains and high winds to the Carolinas and Virginia. By May 27, Bonnie's remnants had reached Nova Scotia and made a direct hit with maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph. The storm caused severe damage, with some of the devastation compared to Juan of 2003. Bonnie would later be the first in a series of devastating tropical cyclones to hit the country during the season. Bonnie continued to weaken in following days as it was absorbed by a larger system over the Gulf of St. Lawrence on May 28. During its Florida landfall, Bonnie pounded the state for nearly two days at peak intensity, causing extensive and widespread damage exacerbated by the many tornadoes produced by the system. Heavy rain and a minor storm surge caused severe flooding throughout coastal areas, resulting in the closure of public beaches during the storm's passage. Rough surf inhibited boating conditions, with strong waves leaving behind piles of debris on nearby sand dunes and beaches. Overall, six people lost their lives during Bonnie, with all fatalities confined to Florida. Four of the six fatalities were attributed to a boat near Tampa capsized by strong waves prior to Bonnie's landfall, with another man in Cedar Key was killed after being struck by lightning, while still another died after drowning in floodwaters from the overflowing Suwanee River. In Nova Scotia, which was pounded with gusts as high as 80 mph, thousands of trees were downed by high winds, leaving most roads impassible after being clogged with debris. Power outages were widespread, with the entire nation affected by the storm. All in all, Bonnie caused $122 million in damage throughout the course of its life, leading it to be much more costly than anticipated. During the 39th session of the World Meteorological Organization's annual meeting in Orlando, Florida in the spring of 2017, the name Bonnie was almost retired due to its high impact throughout the aforementioned areas, but this decision was later overturned. Meteorological History In late May, the National Hurricane Center noted the potential for development for a broad atmospheric disturbance situated just north of Puerto Rico. Under the influence of a strong mid-latitude trough to its north, this disturbance moved on a westerly track towards Turks & Caicos, where the NHC predicted a tropical depression would develop in the subsequent three to five days. Associated with a broadband area of thunderstorms, the disturbance interacted with the previously stated trough, which facilitated tropical cyclogenesis in the system much earlier than anticipated. The following day, May 22, a low-pressure area slowly commenced development just east of Grand Turk. Hours subsequent to this, the NHC operationally declared the second tropical depression of the season had formed, and advisories were initiated on the fledgling system. Continuing on its westerly course, Tropical Depression Two affected the entirety of the Turks & Caicos, making landfalls on Salt Cay as well as the Fish Cays. Operationally, the National Hurricane Center forecast the depression to attain tropical storm-force winds as the Bahamas encroached, though it was revealed in post-analysis that environmental conditions were only marginally favorable at the time. Despite minimal, if any, change in intensity, the compact depression consistently fired deep convection as verified by Geostationary technology. Early May 23, Tropical Depression Two passed over the island of Inagua, the southernmost island in the Bahamas. Later that day, a Hurricane Hunters reconnaissance mission identified flight-level winds of 60 miles per hour, though lack of additional evidence at the surface prevented what would otherwise be an upgrade to tropical storm status. Meanwhile, an anticyclone stationed south of Cuba caused the depression to deviate from its westerly course and obtain a northwesterly shift in track as it veered towards the Florida Straits. The following day another Hurricane Hunters mission indicated a very well-defined circulation in the depression, and Tropical Storm Warnings were put into effect for the Florida Keys. Convection further increased as the system was steered more into the Gulf of Mexico due to an oncoming ridge over central Florida. At 18:00 UTC May 24, Tropical Depression Two struck Key West, Florida with maximum winds of 35 miles per hour, failing to verify the initially predicted tropical storm landfall in the region. Once departing the island chain and emerging fully over the Gulf of Mexico, another dominant ridge of high-pressure induced a sharp turn to the north-northwest. By May 25, the cyclone's outflow became better established while adverse wind shear lessened simultaneously, generating a window for additional intensification. At 03:00 UTC that night, a reconnaissance mission acquired reliable evidence of sustained tropical storm-force winds at the surface, resulting in the upgrade to Tropical Storm Bonnie. Immediately upon the issuance of the advisory, Tropical Storm Warnings were hoisted for much of the Gulf Coast of the United States - from Biloxi, Mississippi to Pensacola, Florida - due to extreme uncertainty in the storm's track. Caught in weak steering currents, the then stationary tropical cyclone was predicted to do a mirage of scenarios. Left to aimlessly drift across the Gulf of Mexico, favorable environmental conditions, including warm sea surface temperatures and lack of detrimental wind shear, allowed Bonnie to continue to intensify. In response to a developing mid-level trough over the central United States, Bonnie accelerated to the northeast. Despite outflow being restricted to the northern quadrant, Bonnie developed curved rainbands to its east and south, expanding the radius of the otherwise minuscule circulation. Later that night, and into May 26, Bonnie achieved a peak strength of 50 miles per hour as it bore down on the Big Bend area of Florida. Around the same time, rapid deepening ensued, with the cyclone procuring an unusually low pressure of 989 millibars in relation to its intensity. At 06:00 UTC May 26, Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall near Cedar Key, Florida with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour. Despite a rather expeditious trek across central Florida, the outer bands of the system became elongated as it accelerated ahead of the aforementioned trough moving across the United States. By 22:00 UTC May 26, Bonnie had completely departed the Atlantic coast of Florida and was undergoing an extratropical transition. Continuing up the East Coast, the expansive circulation of the now extratropical cyclone affected the states of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, with the center remaining just offshore. Progressing up the Gulf Stream, the extratropical remnants of Bonnie later made landfall at 21:00 UTC May 27 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Convective instability disrupted the cyclone thereafter, and the remnants of Bonnie were absorbed into a larger system over the Gulf of St. Lawrence only ten hours subsequent to its landfall in Atlantic Canada. Preparations and Impact Caribbean Immediately upon its inception, Tropical Storm Watches were raised for the majority of the islands in the Turks & Caicos as well as some in the Bahamas in anticipation of the flooding rains to be brought by the depression. John Freeman, Governor of the islands, urged residents through Big Sand Cay to the Six Hill Cays to adequately prepare for the cyclone's effects. All watches were discontinued subsequent to the cyclone clearing the region. Throughout the latter part of the day May 22, government officials closed roads prone to flooding and distributed sandbags to any desiring residents to combat the effects of flooding. A mandatory curfew was in effect from 10 P.M. to 7 A.M EDT that night to discourage people from being out in the storm. Many of the territory's residents, as well as numerous external media outlets, called the degree of preparations "unnecessary", citing they were overestimating the threat of the depression. Government officials, especially Freeman, were widely criticized for spending an extensive sum of money on preparations that were deemed extraneous and unwarranted. The system ultimately brought heavy rainfall to the region, measuring 6.34 inches in Cockburn Town. Minor flooding was reported along some coastal roads in the Salt Cay, though overall effects from the depression were considered minimal in nature, further sparking the widespread criticism regarding the inessential preparations. As the depression approached the Turks and Caicos, preparations were also undertaken in the Bahamas, though they were to a lesser extent than in the aforementioned territory. A Tropical Storm Warning was raised for Inagua immediately upon the system's classification, with Ragged Island, Crooked Island, as well as the islands of Acklins and Mayaguna put under a Tropical Storm Watch. All watches and warnings were discontinued once Bonnie reached the territory, having failed to attain tropical storm intensity. The cruise ship, Carnival Pride, altered its route to avoid making its scheduled stop in Crooked Island on May 23 with the approaching cyclone underway. The intensifying tropical depression passed just three miles north of Inagua Island, producing a wind gust of 41 miles per hour in Great Inagua. Heavy rainfall is reported across the district, peaking at 5.78 inches on the same island. The rains impede driving conditions across both islands, and some ponding is reported on some roads throughout Matthew Town. Some homes in the town briefly lose electricity, though all service across the district is restored within a day. Three waterspouts are sighted near the island, with one coming ashore just outside Matthew Town. However, no serious damage or injuries arise. Due to the compact size of the cyclone, Inagua is the only district affected. Surrounding islands are not affected, directly or indirectly, by the storm. United States Across the United States, Bonnie caused up to 6 direct fatalities and left approximately $89.4 million in damage (2016 USD), with the state of Florida being most affected. Florida As the depression approached Southern Florida, Tropical Storm Warnings are hoisted from Key West to Key Largo, with predictions of a very strong tropical storm in the area. Florida Governor Rick Scott urged residents to prepare for the storm, regardless of the outcome in its future intensity. A state of emergency was declared for Monroe County, with all non-residents of the area mandated to leave well in advance of the storm. As a result, the state economy suffered slightly due to a significant drop in tourism for the month of May, with the deficit in revenue not made up until late July that same year. All watches and warnings were again discontinued once the system reached the area, failing to obtain tropical storm strength. Subsequently following Bonnie's recurvature in the Gulf of Mexico towards the state, all Tropical Storm Watches in effect for the Big Bend area are dropped and replaced with Tropical Storm Warnings. The storm maintains intensity until landfall, striking the Cedar Key area with 50 mph winds. Rick Scott declares a state of emergency for seven counties in the region, and places up to 4,000 National Guard members on standby, if necessary. Schools throughout Levy and Dixie Counties close May 26, re-opening the day subsequent to Bonnie's departure. Additional school districts in Jefferson, Taylor, and Lafayette suspend classes until Bonnie decamps the state. Sandbags were distributed throughout the counties of Taylor, Lafayette, Dixie, Gilchrist, and Levy to any residents who desired. Also, boating activities in coastal waters throughout the warning areas were prohibited until Bonnie cleared the area. As the compact depression moved over the Florida Keys, sustained winds measured at 38 miles per hour in Key West, less than a mile away from where the storm's center made landfall. In the same location, a peak wind gust of 61 miles per hour was reported, possibly a result of localized convection. Up to 8 inches of rain fell at the Key West Naval Air Station, resulting in some ponding on roads throughout the city. The Truman Annex at the facility was partially unroofed by strong wind gusts, leading to rainwater leaks throughout the building. Over 60 cars were disabled due to the heavy rainfall. In addition, many trees across the island chain are downed, and one house in Marathon, Florida was completely demolished after a large tree branch fell on it. Meanwhile, the Ernest Hemingway house in Key West was also inundated by floodwaters; the depression raised sea levels by as much as three feet when it passed over the Keys. Several tornadoes were also reported, though only one caused serious damage. During Bonnie's second landfall in the Big Bend region, sustained winds of 48 miles per hour were recorded by an instrument in Mexico Beach. Gulf Coast East Coast Atlantic Canada Elsewhere Category:Tropical Storm Category:Atlantic hurricanes Category:Hurricanes Category:Tropical Storm Bonnie Category:Tropical cyclones Category:Cyclones Category:Past Storms Category:Sassmaster15